Three Women by March Hastings

Author:March Hastings [Hastings, March]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Lesbian
ISBN: 9781573442459
Google: SUBhvabXaPwC
Amazon: B005M4ZTKK
Publisher: Cleis Press
Published: 1989-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

Paula tiptoed to the bedroom door and shut it gently. She stood pressed against it, listening. Their voices came through to her muffled but easily understood.

"I didn't come for any favors this time,'' she heard Phil say. "Just a few kind words and maybe a drink.''

"And why do you need kind words? Businessmen need customers, not kind words." The slam of the refrigerator door told Paula that Byrne was getting ice cubes.

"The hell with business," Phil said.

"All right, to hell with it. What then?"

"Listen," Phil paused, probably gulping a swallow, "you're an old hand at certain things. What did you make of that girl I brought with me Sunday?"

Old hand, Paula thought. Did Phil know about his aunt's odd interests?

"You mean Paula?" Byrne said, as if surprised. The tone of her voice revealed how very much in control of herself she was.

"Of course, Paula. Who else was here?" His irritation was not with Byrne. It was an irritation of self that stemmed from doubt and worry. Paula realized she hadn't done a very good job of consoling him that night If anything, she had probably made matters worse. He might be able to accept the idea of competition with another man. But competing with something unknown must be unbearable.

"I thought her a very fine girl," Byrne said. "Attractive, intelligent sensible. Why?"

"Do you think she liked me?"

Byrne didn't answer right away. She might have been sipping her own drink, stalling to decide how to put things.

"She seemed quite fond of you. Of course, you were too concerned with your own purposes to notice that she might have had other thoughts on her mind also."

"I guess you're right" Phil said regretfully. "Well, the truth of the matter is she's given me the gate." Another pause. "I mean it. Just left me flat for no good reason. But there must be a reason, if I just weren't too dumb to see it."

"I'm certainly sorry," Byrne said. "But what can I do to help?"

"She kind of took to this idea of painting."

"And since I do give lessons, you thought that maybe I could get in touch with her. If she visits me a few times, maybe she'd tell me what's on her mind. Is that what you mean? That's not very fair of you, Phil!"

"So what? I want to marry the girl, Byrne. Any thing's fair."

"Are you quite sure your feelings aren't sore and sensitive because she's playing hard to get?"

Paula, afraid to move for fear of making a noise, listened intently.

"Sure as anything. I wanted to marry her almost the first time I saw her. She's that kind of a person. Only I thought it would be easier on her and on us both if we waited until I could afford something better than the two-bit job I had."

Paula heard Byrne put her glass on the bookshelf. "If it's that important to you, I’ll see what I can do with her."

"You're really the greatest," Phil's voice was vibrant "Here's her phone number."

When the door had closed, Paula waited for Byrne to come tell her it was safe.

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